1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machining system in which workpieces are automatically supplied to a machine tool and automatically machined by the machine tool.
2. Description of Related Art
A machining system for automatically and successively supplying and machining workpieces is constituted by components of a visual sensor for detecting position/orientation of a supplied workpiece, a jig device for fixing/unfixing the workpiece, a handling robot for holding the supplied workpiece using the detected position/orientation of the workpiece and transferring the workpiece to a position of the jig device and also for taking out a machined workpiece from the jig device, and a machine tool for machining the workpiece fixed by the jig device, etc.
The workpiece are successively supplied from an automatic storehouse to a predetermined supply place where position/orientation of the supplied workpiece is detected by the visual sensor. The handling robot holds the workpiece at position/orientation determined by correcting a taught position/orientation using the detected position/orientation of the workpiece and transfers the held workpiece to the position of the jig device. The workpiece fixedly mounted thereon by the jig device is machined by the machine tool according to a machining program. After completing the machining, the machined workpiece is unfixed from the machine tool, and is taken from the jig device by the handling robot and transferred for the next process, to thus perform the supplying, machining and transferring of workpieces automatically and successively.
In the above-described machining system, the visual sensor, the robot, the jig device and the machine tool cooperate with one another to perform the series of operations. Therefore, the operation programs and associated information therewith such as set values of various parameters for respective controllers of the visual sensor, the robot, the jig device and the machine tool have influence with one another. Thus, it is necessary to take conformity with these operation programs and the associated information for the components of the system so as to continuously perform the series of operations.
Conventionally, the operation programs and the associated information such as machining or operation conditions set by parameter values are displayed on display devices provided at the respective controllers of the components of the system for confirmation and adjustment of the operations thereof.
However, since the operation programs and the associated information for the respective components of the system are displayed separately on the display devices of the respective components of the system, an operator has to move to places of the respective display devices or operators distributed to the places of the respective display devices have to communicate with one another in order to confirm and adjust the operations of the components of the system, to lower efficiency of the confirmation and adjustment of the operation programs and the associated information for the components of the system.
Different operations of the components of the system are required for different kinds of workpieces and therefore different operation programs and associated information have to be prepared for the machining of different kinds of workpieces. Thus, it is necessary for an operator to refer a table indicating the programs and the associated information for the respective components for each kind of workpiece in confirmation and adjustment of the operation programs and the associated information for the respective components of the system.